Green Bay — At this point four years ago, the Green Bay Packers were hopeful Sam Shields could make it. But they weren't sure, weren't sold quite yet.

The third exhibition game brought clarity.

Working against Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning-powered machine, they finally saw the undrafted rookie out of Miami face top talent.

One interception and three pass breakups later, Joe Whitt Jr. was convinced. Shields was ready to be the team's nickel cornerback at Philadelphia in Week 1.

On Friday, a player named Jumal Rolle takes center stage.

"Jumal's going to have the opportunity to get in this week a little bit early," Whitt said. "We'll see if he's worthy of being a guy that we can count on."

No, Rolle probably won't be thrown into the Qwest Field octagon in Week 1. But he is battling sixth-round pick Demetri Goodson for a roster spot. The more polished 5-foot-11½, 188-pound corner from Catawba College has made far more plays in camp. Abandoned by the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints last season, he was signed to the Packers' practice squad Oct. 8 and made the active roster by Dec. 27.

The coaches see the instincts in practice: on Tuesday, Rolle made a diving deflection on an out to Chris Harper. They've seen him break down ball-carriers: at Tennessee, he wrapped up Bishop Sankey for no gain alone in space. Next up, they need to see him lock down the Oakland Raiders' top receivers.

In Shields, Whitt's project who eventually inked a four-year, $39 million deal, a valuable lesson was learned.

"I don't hold as much stock in when you go out there and beat guys who probably aren't going to make teams," Whitt said. "I want to see what you'll do against guys, I tell them in practice 'When you're lined up against Jordy (Nelson), when you're lined up against Randall (Cobb), when you're lined up against (Jarrett) Boykin, what do you do against those guys?'"

Given those chances, this developmental cornerback holds his own.

So who is Jumal Rolle?

Inspired by Champ Bailey, he gravitated to cornerback at a young age. Rolle said Bailey wasn't the biggest, "but he always played like he was the biggest guy out there."

The Wilson, N.C., native played both ways in high school, catching 35 passes for 620 yards (17.7 avg.) with 10 touchdowns as a senior. And then at tiny NCAA Division II Catawba, a private school of about 1,300 students, he had 16 interceptions and 51 pass breakups in 41 games.

He's always been around the ball. He just hasn't had his Wayne, his Garcon opportunity yet.

Undrafted, Rolle spent all of last summer with the Bills, was waived Aug. 26 and then spent four weeks on the Saints practice squad.

Like most of America, Whitt knew nothing about Catawba College. But after Rolle picked off a pair of passes his very first practice in Green Bay, he was intrigued.

"I was like, 'OK, he's too good to be cut from two different teams,'" Whitt said. "So I went back and watched his preseason film, and I didn't understand why it was. They might have been loaded at the position. You never know what happens with other teams. But I think the guy can definitely play in this league.

"But he has to show it. He has to show it through his play. Me saying it doesn't really do anything."

Rolle, a therapeutic recreation major, sees hope at his position. Tramon Williams. Jarrett Bush. Shields. The vets in his room were all undrafted unknowns.

"It just gives me a picture," Rolle said, "that if I keep trying to make plays and stay on the right track, I could hopefully end up like one of those guys."

In 11-on-11 work, he's not quite a Bush-like gnat, but he can disrupt receivers at the top of a route, and he transitions quickly.

Goodson isn't going down without a fight. The former Gonzaga point guard has broken up deep passes in back-to-back exhibition games, but Whitt notes he's still very raw. He's still "working through learning curves." The basketball exodus has been obvious through red-zone drills, where Goodson struggles to finish.

The more technically sound Rolle believes he has to prove his "tenacity," his physicality to coaches. He's no slouch, repping 225 pounds on the bench 17 times.

A matchup with ex-Packer James Jones would provide a gauge.

"If it comes down to it," said Rolle, "I'll be ready for it."

Yes, Friday night will be a Super Bowl of sorts for Rolle.

Don't be surprised if Green Bay tries to roll the cornerback over Jones, Denarius Moore and Rod Streater. Whitt says Rolle has shown "a complete game" in camp — to blitz, to play off a block, to cover, to play inside and outside.

There's one more hurdle to clear before earning a roster spot.

"You have to do it against real guys," Whitt said. "You have to do it against them; that's when you know he can do it, when it really matters in the 16 real games and the playoffs.

"He'll have an opportunity Friday night and next week to show if he's deserving or not."